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Did the best Prime Day fitness tracker deal just go live? Get the Garmin fēnix 7 Pro at a record-low price.

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:31

SAVE $350: As of July 4, the Garmin fēnix 7 Pro is on sale for $549.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you 39% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin fēnix 7 Pro $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350 Get Deal

The early Prime Day discounts are rolling in, and we couldn't be more excited. Deals on everything from TVs to headphones are underway, and there are big discounts to be had. And as of July 4, you can buy the Garmin fēnix 7 Pro for its lowest-ever price, now $549.99. This record-low deal saves you $350 on list price.

The multisport GPS watch is designed with a durable 1.3-inch display in a 47 mm fiber-reinforced polymer case, topped with a scratch-resistant Power Sapphire solar charging lens for extended battery life, meaning with the help of the sun, you can enjoy weeks of battery life.

SEE ALSO: The best early Prime Day fitness tracker deals in 2025 — shop Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, and more

If you're an ultra or trail runner, you'll love the built-in LED flashlight, a must-have for late-night activities. It has variable intensities and strobe modes, so you have greater awareness while you train at night.

New hill and endurance score features are also able to track your performance on ascents and overall stamina across activities and you'll enjoy the same 24/7 health monitoring tools that are synonymous with Garmin, such as HRV status, Pulse Ox (for altitude acclimation), and advanced sleep tracking. Morning reports and training readiness help to encourage your training with advanced analysis and stats, while wrist-based running power, strength training metrics, and advanced pacing tools help fine-tune your performance.

Grab this early Prime Day deal from Amazon right now.

The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts
Categories: IT General, Technology

Dont break the bank: The best budget earbuds, tested by our audio experts

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:15

We spend a lot of time fawning over the latest tech here at Mashable, and as much as we love nerding out over the latest Sony headphones drop, we know that's not always relatable. New tech is often expensive tech, and a nearly $500 pair of headphones is certainly not always in the budget. That's why we're here to talk about the best budget earbuds.

A pair of cheap earbuds is a compact alternative to over-the-ear headphones, but let's be clear, just because these earbuds are affordable, doesn't mean they skimp on features. Two of the best earbuds we've tested are nearly $300 — Apple AirPods Pro costs $249.95, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds come in at $299 — but we've found models for even less. You don't need to spend $300 on a pair of great earbuds; in fact, you don't even need to spend $100.

Plus, with Amazon Prime Day running from July 8 to 11, there's an opportunity for even more savings. We've already spotted some early deals on earbuds and headphones, including wireless models. Our top pick, the EarFun Air Pro 4, are already down to $62.99 ahead of Prime Day.

So if you're ready to save on already budget-friendly earbuds, these are the best.

What's considered budget?

Budget is a relative term, so for this list, we're looking at earbuds under $200 but mostly under $100. Our top pick is the EarFun Air Pro 4, which have a list price of $79.99, which have the noise-cancellation of a much more expensive pair of earbuds. Going the budget route might mean making compromises but not sacrifices. For under $100, you can still get active noise cancellation and self-charging cases.

Other models we've tested

The models on this list are pulled from our extensive testing here at Mashable. Our previous top pick on this list was the Apple AirPods 3; however, the AirPods 4 have replaced them, making them more expensive, plus they don't have great Android compatibility.

Another pair of headphones we considered for this list were the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds with sound by Bose. My colleague Bethany Allard tested these buds, and while they're pretty good for $100, they have a bad case design and just aren't that comfortable compared to other models on this list — plus, the $100 introductory price is expected to go up to $129.99.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Deals on Ninja appliances are plentiful ahead of Prime Day 2025

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:12
Best early Prime Day Ninja deals Best Ninja deal Ninja Prestige Smart XL Air Fryer & Toaster Oven $229.99 (Save $120) Get Deal Best blender deal Ninja Professional Compact Smoothie & Food Processing Blender $89.99 (Save $30) Get Deal Best outdoor cooking deal Ninja Artisan Outdoor Pizza Oven $199.95 (Save $100.04) Get Deal Best coffee maker deal Ninja Luxe Café Premier 3-in-1 Espresso and Coffee Maker 509.99 (save $90 + get a free $50 Amazon credit) Get Deal

Prime Day is arriving in just a few days, but the early deals are already here. In the lead-up to the longest Prime Day ever, we're on the hunt for the best early deals so you don't have to wait until July 8 to start shopping. While some shopping categories are feeling a bit sparse, the deals on Ninja products are plentiful.

Having tested our way through Ninja's most popular kitchen appliances, we're certified fans of the brand. Ninja's appliances are for kitchen pros and novices alike, offering excellent performance along with ease of use.

Right now, Ninja is offering some of the best deals ahead of Prime Day. Here are the best deals to shop now.

Best Ninja deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Prestige Smart XL Air Fryer and Toaster Oven $229.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $120 Get Deal Why we like it

Air fryers are great any time of year, but they're especially key during the summer months when you don't want to turn on the oven, but still want perfectly crisp food. Ninja makes some great air fryers and while the Ninja Crispi Portable Air Fryer is our favorite, the Ninja Prestige Smart XL Air Fryer & Toaster Oven is currently $120 off.

This supersized air fryer and oven can fit a 12-pound turkey or up to 20 cookies at a time. Plus, it can fit two trays at once, so you can cook dinner for the whole family.

Right now, grab the Ninja Prestige Smart XL Air Fryer for $229.99, saving you $120 off its normal $349.99 for 34% in savings ahead of Prime Day.

More early Prime Day Ninja deals The best early Prime Day deals to shop this week
Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 4, 2025

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:07

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for July 4, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

  • Yellow: A winner's reward

  • Green: Southern ballers

  • Blue: Food kings

  • Purple: Same first word

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

  • Yellow: A monetary reward

  • Green: A Texas basketball player

  • Blue: Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winners

  • Purple: Hot ____

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #284 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

  • A monetary reward - PRIZE, PURSE, STAKES, WINNINGS

  • A Texas basketball player - MAVERICK, ROCKET, SPUR, WING

  • Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winners - BERTOLETTI, CHESTNUT, KOBAYASHI, SUDO

  • Hot ____ - CORNER, DOG, HAND, STOVE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Connections.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Chelsea vs. Palmeiras online for free

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

TL;DR: Live stream Chelsea vs. Palmeiras in the 2025 Club World Cup for free on DAZN. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Club World Cup quarter finals continue with Chelsea vs. Palmeiras. Both sides have improved throughout the tournament and will now be confident of progressing to the semi-final stage.

If you want to watch Chelsea vs. Palmeiras in the 2025 Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Chelsea vs. Palmeiras?

Chelsea vs. Palmeiras in the 2025 Club World Cup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on July 4. This fixture takes place at the Lincoln Financial Field.

How to watch Chelsea vs. Palmeiras for free

Chelsea vs. Palmeiras in the 2025 Club World Cup is available to live stream for free on DAZN.

The Club World Cup is free to stream all around the world, but if you're having problems accessing this streaming platform on your network, you can consider using a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in another location. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so that you can secure access to free live streams from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free live streams of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access to DAZN

  4. Visit DAZN

  5. Stream the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Chelsea vs. Palmeiras in the 2025 Club World Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream the Club World Cup before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for DAZN?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on DAZN, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Chelsea vs. Palmeiras in the 2025 Club World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Fluminense vs. Al Hilal online for free

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

TL;DR: Live stream Fluminense vs. Al Hilal in the 2025 Club World Cup for free on DAZN. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Club World Cup quarter finals are really interesting, bringing together some of the best teams from all over the globe. The first game from the round sees Fluminense take on Al Hilal. Both sides knocked out European opposition in the last round.

If you want to watch Fluminense vs. Al Hilal in the 2025 Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Fluminense vs. Al Hilal?

Fluminense vs. Al Hilal in the 2025 Club World Cup kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on July 4. This fixture takes place at the Camping World Stadium.

How to watch Fluminense vs. Al Hilal for free

Fluminense vs. Al Hilal in the 2025 Club World Cup is available to live stream for free on DAZN.

The Club World Cup is free to stream all around the world, but if you're having problems accessing this streaming platform on your network, you can consider using a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in another location. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so that you can secure access to free live streams from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free live streams of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access to DAZN

  4. Visit DAZN

  5. Stream the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Fluminense vs. Al Hilal in the 2025 Club World Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream the Club World Cup before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for DAZN?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on DAZN, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Fluminense vs. Al Hilal in the 2025 Club World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 3 best laptops of 2025 (so far)

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

2025 has already been a noteworthy year for laptops. In the past six months alone, we've seen the expansion of Microsoft's AI PC project, the debut of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 50 series graphics cards, and the cheapest Apple MacBook launch in years — never mind this spring's tariff-induced supply chain chaos.

As it so happens, 2025 has also been a big year for Mashable's laptop team. In April, we introduced a new testing methodology with more rigorous criterion for assessing computers' performance, battery life, design/build quality, and overall value, as well as a supplemental rubric that standardizes scoring between different writers. It marks the first major overhaul to our laptop testing process since we started reviewing them over a decade ago. We think it's made our coverage more comprehensive and conclusive than ever.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops we've tested: Look for these 9 models on sale during Prime Day

Since we implemented this new methodology, only three laptops out of the many we've tested earned a score of 4.5/5 or higher, which makes them eligible for a Mashable Choice Award. (That's our most prestigious accolade for the products we review sitewide.) I've listed them below in no particular order, along with one honorable mention.

A quick housekeeping note before we get into it: Our team just finished testing some of these models at the time of writing, so if you don't see all of them listed in our laptop buying guides, know that we'll add them soon. I've noted which superlative each laptop has earned in its blurb — consider this a sneak peek at some of our freshest recommendations.

1. The Asus Zenbook A14 Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

There was a lot of pressure riding on the Asus Zenbook A14. Back in January, we named the 14-inch Copilot+ PC our "Best of CES 2025" award winner in the laptop category for its long advertised battery life and minimalist, ultraportable design, which includes a beautiful OLED display. Of note, its chassis is made from a unique magnesium aluminum alloy called "Ceraluminum" that's durable, scratch-resistant, and recyclable. It looked great in a showroom, but we didn't yet know how well it would function in a real-world setting. At the time, it was priced at just $899.99 to start.

Now that I've formally tested it, I'm happy to report that the Zenbook A14 meets most of our high expectations. It's incredibly thin and light, and that Ceraluminum is spiffy; its matte-textured finish reminds me a lot of pottery, which I love. (Too many modern PCs try to be silvery MacBook dupes.) Furthermore, it lasted nearly 22 hours in our video-rundown battery life benchmark. That doesn't quite match Asus' bonkers rated battery life of 32 hours, but it's excellent nonetheless.

SEE ALSO: The best Windows laptops: Put these models on your Prime Day shopping list

The Zenbook A14 is now the longest-lasting sub-$1,000 laptop we've tried, and the most powerful one. The Zabrinskie Beige base model with a Snapdragon X Plus processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage got a multi-core score of 11,256 in Primate Labs' Geekbench 6 CPU test. (That's what we use to quantify laptops' processing power.) It's almost as zippy as an M3 MacBook Pro we reviewed in 2023, which got a score of 11,998. Granted, the Zenbook A14 isn't perfect — its speakers are among the worst I've encountered — but all things considered, I think it's a good overall value. That's even after a $100 price bump to $999.99 in March because of President Donald Trump's tariffs.

The Zenbook A14 is also available in iceland gray with a lesser Snapdragon X processor but more RAM and storage (32GB and 1TB, respectively). It's the lighter of the two configurations by about 0.3 pounds, and it costs $1,199.99 post-tariffs. Personally, I think the cheaper version with added oomph is a more competitive buy. It's our new favorite budget Windows laptop.

Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $649.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $350 Shop Now 2. The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition Credit: Sarah Chaney / Mashable

The latest version of the premium Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 has an "Aura Edition" addendum, which denotes its support for a handful of exclusive AI features. One called "Shield Mode" can tell you if someone's looking at your screen over your shoulder. Another called "Wellness Mode" analyzes your posture and calls you out when you're hunched over your desk like a shrimp. They're cool and all, but build quality and battery life are the areas where this 14-inch convertible really shines.

In particular, Mashable contributor Sarah Chaney adored its "super vibrant" 2.8K OLED touchscreen display and its island-style keyboard, which she likened to the clackety mechanical variety. On the battery front, the Lenovo Yoga 9i Aura Edition held out for a whopping 23 hours and 34 minutes before dying. That makes it the longest-lasting laptop we've ever tried. Ever!

There is, of course, a catch. The Yoga 9i Aura Edition has triple the battery life of last year's Lenovo Yoga 9i (Gen 9), its forebear, but it got a 20% lower Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 10,765 — even with a newer Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor. (That means the Zenbook A14 also outscored it, for what it's worth.) In the Aura Edition's defense, both of the other Intel Core Ultra Series 2 laptops we've tried this year scored similarly and cost more. Ultimately, I think it's still safe to call this puppy our new favorite 2-in-1 laptop. For her part, Chaney thinks the "less power, more stamina" trade-off is totally worth it.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,749.99 at Best Buy
Shop Now 3. The M4 Apple MacBook Air Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

In March, Apple extended its M4 era with the launch of a new MacBook Air in two sizes and one bland new color. Some of its upgrades feel like obvious next-generation tweaks: It has an improved 12MP FaceTime camera, for instance, and it can now support two external displays with its lid open. Its jump in processing power is impressive, though not entirely unexpected given the track record of Apple's M-series chips. (The 15-inch model got an amazing Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 14,992; last year's iteration clocked in at 12,057.)

No, what really blows us away is the fact that the M4 MacBook Air starts at just $999, making it $100 cheaper than its predecessor: The base M3 MacBook Air cost $1,099 before it was discontinued. For added context, $999 also matches the final going rate of the M2 model from 2022 following a post-M3 discount in 2024, and that one came with a mere 8GB of RAM for most of its lifespan. In a year when many laptops have gotten more expensive, not less (see above), this feels remarkable.

After trying the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air, Mashable's Stan Schroeder deemed it "the best-buy Apple laptop, period." It's our current favorite MacBook for most people, while its 13-inch counterpart is our top pick for budget shoppers. The latter has two fewer speakers, a slightly lower-resolution display, and an eight-core GPU instead of a 10-core GPU.

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,049 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $150 Shop Now Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $849 at Amazon
$999 Save $150 Shop Now Honorable mention: The Framework Laptop 13 (Intel Core Ultra Series 1) Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

A few weeks ago, I finally got around to testing the DIY Edition of last year's Framework Laptop 13, a modular laptop that's powered by a previous-gen Intel Core Ultra Series 1 CPU. It's not as powerful or as nicely specced as other premium PCs in its price range, but freshness and flair aren't the point here — fixability is.

The Framework Laptop 13 makes at-home repairs and upgrades so easy and accessible that it's almost jarring. After assembling and tinkering with my loaner, I've started to re-evaluate my relationship with most of the tech I use. (Do I really own something if I have to outsource all of its servicing? Why should I have to replace an entire device if only one of its components gets obsolete? Consider me a right-to-repair radical.) It's a bigger upfront investment than other laptops, but an unbeatable long-term value.

Framework released a newer version with an AMD processor, a different thermal system, and an updated keyboard this April, which I'd like to try ASAP. In the meantime, this model is the best repairable laptop I can personally vouch for.

Framework Laptop 13 DIY Edition (Intel Core Ultra Series 1) $899 at Framework
Shop Now
Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup online for free

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free on YouTube. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

With no World Cup, European Championships, or Copa America this summer, we were starting to panic at the prospect of no top-quality football until the start of domestic seasons. But there was no need to worry, because there is a lot to watch right now.

If you can find time between watching all 63 games from the FIFA Club World Cup, the Concacaf Gold Cup should provide plenty of big moments this summer. If you want to watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Concacaf Gold Cup?

The Concacaf Gold Cup is a tournament for national football teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The tournament is held every two years. The only national teams to have won the tournament are Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The defending champions are Mexico.

Canada and the United States are hosting the tournament in 2025.

When is the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup?

The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is the 18th edition of the competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 14 to July 6.

How to watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free

The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

These free live streams are not available all around the world, but fans in excluded territories can still watch the tournament for free with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access (like Italy), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Gold Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Italy

  4. Visit YouTube

  5. Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream the tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on YouTube, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Italy

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best gaming laptops of 2025: Check out our top picks ahead of Amazon Prime Day

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

Let's be real: PC gaming offers the best possible experience for gamers. We love consoles, too, but you just can't deny it.

High-end gaming computers pack more graphical and processing power than any home console, and they offer a level of freedom in terms of customization and game choice that you’re just not going to find anywhere else. Unfortunately, a desktop PC does force you to keep your gaming sessions tied to your desk.

While desktops deliver elite performance, the best gaming laptops fit into the modern lifestyle more smoothly thanks to their portability. It’s more convenient to take your gaming rig with you on the go, whether that’s to a friend’s place or just to another room. Whether you're looking for a powerhouse that supports eye-popping visuals, a lightweight notebook to fit snugly in your backpack, or hoping to find the best budget gaming laptop, we promise there's a machine for you.

SEE ALSO: Gaming starter kit: All the gear you need to play like a real gamer What are the best gaming laptops?

Finding the best laptop for your needs and budget can be tricky. They may be easier to parse than their desktop counterparts, but gaming laptops still require a fair bit of careful spec scrutiny. These are no consoles — you can’t just pick the latest generation system off the shelf and get playing. Choosing between the many graphics cards, processors, storage sizes, and screen types can be a real head-scratcher. Thankfully, you've got us to guide you through the process.

Read on to find our recommendations for the best gaming laptops of 2025, including the best inexpensive gaming laptops on the market right now. Before you buy, though, you may want to just add them to your wishlist and shop during Amazon Prime Day 2025 from July 8 to July 11 — a few of them will likely go on sale during the event.

What's the best cheap gaming laptop, and is it worth it?

When it comes to gaming laptops, it's totally fine not to immediately spring for the top-of-the-line, $3,000-plus powerhouse. Plenty of gaming laptops fall below the $1,000 mark and are well worth the money. But, we would advise you against going too cheap. You really do get what you pay for, and if you settle for a bottom-of-the-barrel machine, you're not going to be able to run the games you want to play anyway.

The Razer Blade 14 is a fantastic compact gaming laptop. Credit: Dylan Haas / Mashable

However, if you're looking to keep a tight budget and don't mind playing via cloud streaming, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is a great option (more details on that laptop below). And if you're looking to spend even less, the Lenovo Gaming Chromebook 16 is another solid cloud gaming laptop, which you can read about in our guide to the best laptops under $500.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Walmart vs. Amazon: Who actually has the best deals?

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

It's a tale of two retail behemoths vying for your dollars.

In one corner is Amazon, the scrappy bookseller-turned-global ecommerce empire that's the reason why we're all a tad impatient. In the other is Walmart, the veteran department store with one-stop, starburst-studded supercenters in every neighborhood.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day 2025: Dates, deals, and the competition

From speedy shipping to members-only perks, both retailers pull out stops to entice shoppers to buy from them. But in the battle of Walmart vs. Amazon, whose deals are actually better?

Mashable's shopping experts have spent years tracking online discounts on popular tech across both retailers, including TVs, laptops, headphones, robot vacuums, and video games/gaming consoles. In covering their daily deals and their massive sitewide sales, we constantly cross-check prices between the two of them to recommend the most worth-it discounts. Here's how we see things.

Where Amazon wins: More competitive pricing and useful deal-finding tools

There's a ton of overlap between the two retailers, but Amazon is where we normally find the most competitive prices on any given day. Anecdotally, if a product isn't on sale there, it's probably not on sale anywhere.

Our experience is backed up by ongoing research from the ecommerce analytics firm Profitero, which conducts an annual Price Wars study comparing everyday online prices across major U.S. retailers. In examining more than 13,000 items across 15 product categories over a 12-week period from July to September, the 2024 edition of the study found that Amazon's prices were five percent lower than Walmart's on average. (It's worth noting that the time frame included Amazon's flagship Prime Day sale and Walmart's counter-programming.) In the electronics category specifically, Amazon's prices were six percent lower on average.

SEE ALSO: Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale is extra competitive this year

Amazon also put items on sale more frequently, undercutting Walmart about a third of the time on like-for-like items, according to Profitero's "low price reliability" metric. They otherwise tended to price-match one another; Amazon offered higher prices than Walmart just four percent of the time. (Neither Amazon nor Walmart have formal price-matching policies allowing customers to request price adjustments if an item is cheaper elsewhere, FYI.)

To Walmart's credit, it was Amazon's closest price competitor in most of the Profitero study's categories, "most aggressively" when it came to appliances. Walmart has gained a little ground on price competitiveness in the electronics category in the past year, but lost some of its edge with video game prices.

The other big pro to shopping on Amazon is that consumers have more deal-finding tools at their disposal (beyond your usual shopping browser extensions or Google Shopping features). If something you're interested in buying isn't on sale, you can keep tabs on price drops by adding it to a Wish List, your Shopping Cart, or your cart's "Saved for later" section. Amazon flags deals on wish-listed items underneath their product names and in the occasional notification pop-up if you have the Amazon Shopping mobile app. In your cart, you'll see a "Messages about items in your cart" notification at the very top of the page if a product's price changes.

This fancy colored pencil set has gotten slightly cheaper since I first wish-listed it. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon Amazon let me know about its discount via mobile notification, too. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable Visit your cart and click the "See all updates" line in the "Messages about items in your cart" notification. A pop-up window will tell you which products you've been eyeing have gotten less (or more) expensive since you added them. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

If you're a member of Amazon's Prime subscription service and you own an Echo smart speaker, you can also enable an "Advanced deal alerts" feature that will notify you if a wish-listed item is about to go on sale — up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Crucially, Amazon shoppers also have the ability to verify how good its deals actually are using a website called CamelCamelCamel: Enter the URL of an item's Amazon product page in its search bar to pull up its complete pricing history. (There's a supplementary browser extension, too.) CamelCamelCamel occasionally misses coupons and skips over limited-time deals during Amazon's sitewide sales, including Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days, its fall counterpart. But it's generally great for determining whether a discount is even worth considering. Mashable's shopping experts rely heavily on it to appraise Amazon deals year-round.

Here's the Amazon price history of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones as of late June 2024, per CamelCamelCamel. Credit: Screenshot via CamelCamelCamel

There's no CamelCamelCamel equivalent for Walmart, though there is a "Droplist" tool in the free browser extension Honey that can offer some Walmart price history insights for products. However, it only uses data from the past 120 days, and it doesn't appear to take third-party sellers into account — which can sometimes pose a problem. (More on those later.)

Where Walmart wins: Hidden gems

Don't rule Walmart out entirely. As mentioned, its prices are more competitive than any other retailer when stacked up against Amazon's, and the two price-match each other more often than not — especially during major savings events like Prime Day and Black Friday. We also think it's important to note that Walmart's deals are occasionally better than they appear.

Every so often, Walmart does this thing to on-sale items where it advertises deflated sticker prices. In other words, the "original price" you see on a listing is lower than the actual MSRPs you'd see on the brand or manufacturer's website — so, in actuality, you're saving more than Walmart lets on. (We've run into this on Amazon, too, but it seems to happen far more often at Walmart.)

We're not exactly sure why Walmart chooses to do this, since it kind of works against its bottom line. (Wouldn't the real, bigger discount entice more shoppers to buy…? We asked a Walmart representative and never heard back.) But it can result in pleasant surprises for meticulous shoppers who cross-check prices before adding items to their carts. You might even snag a deal that may have sold out sooner had it been advertised accurately.

Take this 65-inch Samsung QLED TV: Walmart had it marked down from $997.99 to $798 during its Deals Holiday Kickoff Event in October 2023, advertising a discount of $199.99. But when the Mashable Shopping team searched for the TV's model number on the Samsung website, we discovered that it had an MSRP of $2,699.99 there — meaning Walmart's deal was actually saving shoppers just over $1,900.

Along similar lines, Walmart periodically releases extra-cheap products as "Special Buys" during sales. It doesn't attach any original MSRPs to these products, so there's no way of determining how much you're actually saving, but the prices tend to be low enough that it almost doesn't matter. (See: this 65-inch onn. 4K TV, which went on sale at Walmart for $278 a few weeks before Black Friday 2023. We didn't know how much it was truly worth, but compared to other TVs of that size, it was absurdly cheap.)

Where both win: Memberships are useful for scoring deals

In addition to other benefits, Amazon and Walmart's membership services both unlock varying degrees of access to certain deals during tentpole sales throughout the year.

An Amazon Prime membership ($14.99 per month or $139 per year) is non-negotiable if you want to shop the best deals of Prime Day in July and Prime Big Deal Days in October. No Prime, no access — though making use of Amazon's free 30-day Prime trial still counts you in. (This members-only restriction hasn't applied to Amazon's Cyber Weekend sales.)

SEE ALSO: The 20+ best Apple deals live ahead of Prime Day

Meanwhile, a Walmart+ membership ($12.95 per month or $98 per year) unlocks early access to Walmart's biggest sitewide sales throughout the year — usually three to five hours before they're open to the general public, but sometimes up to 12. Those sales would be its main summer savings event, which competes with Prime Day; an October deals event that goes up against Prime Big Deal Days; and lastly, its staggered Black Friday Deals events. Featured doorbusters can sometimes sell out during these early-access phases or get slightly more expensive once the paywalls lift, so it's worth taking advantage of this membership perk.

There's one catch, which is that early deals access for Walmart+ members is restricted to paid members; you don't count if you're using its free 30-day trial. On the plus side, we usually see subscriptions go on sale for half price immediately before Walmart's summer and Black Friday sales.

Where both lose: Sketchy third-party sellers

Be sure you know exactly whose deals you're shopping — because it may not be Amazon or Walmart itself. Amazon is better known for hosting myriad third-party sellers, but Walmart's listings are also rife with so-called "MarketPlace Sellers." 

Some of these merchants are simply storefronts for verified brands, like Roborock or Dyson, which are unremarkable. But many others across both retailers are no-name independent sellers that shoppers should treat with caution. Third-party sellers on Amazon may not use its customer service, and Walmart's Marketplace Sellers may have different return policies or warranty terms.

Counterfeit products are also a huge issue for both online retailers. Amazon has been particularly aggressive in fighting fakes: The company has a dedicated Counterfeit Crimes Unit and invested over $1.2 billion into the cause in 2023. Walmart says it "regularly monitors Marketplace seller performance" and identifies those who provide the best service with "Pro Seller" badges. It also maintains pages where consumers can report intellectual property infringements and suspicious marketplace activity.

Walmart appears to have once been a member of the Buy Safe America Coalition, an industry lobby group that aims to protect consumers from counterfeit and stolen goods on online marketplaces (like Amazon), according to a 2020 Business Insider story about its formation. However, the big-box store's name wasn't listed on the coalition's website at the time of writing. Walmart's rep didn't respond to a request for comment.

Third-party sellers are typically easily identifiable by their titles, like Mall of Americ (sic), Emma's Market, busylittlebee, Delight Tech Electronics, and QuickNDeals. However, we've encountered one instance where an unauthorized seller was using the same name and branding as the real one on Amazon.

A third-party Amazon seller named "Issaquah Highlands Tech" was selling a Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 for $1,349.99 (with a free stylus) in March 2025. Skip it. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon The same Surface Laptop 7 configuration was $40 pricier when purchased directly from Amazon. We think it's worth it: It's still a great deal, and more importantly, you're not taking chances on such a big purchase. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

This isn't to say that all third-party sellers are inherently malicious or scammy — looking at their reviews can be enlightening, usually. And for their parts, both retailers offer recourse if shoppers have issues with them. Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee and Walmart's Marketplace Promise both cover problems with delivery, item condition, returns, and refunds for items sold and fulfilled/shipped by third-party sellers. Both require an eligibility and claims process.

That said, we recommend avoiding third-party sellers entirely, even if you see one offering a lower price on an item that Amazon and/or Walmart also sells directly. Avoiding unnecessary hassle or risk is an excellent rule of thumb when your money's on the line.

A third-party Walmart seller named "Value Tech" was selling PlayStation 5 copies of "Madden NFL 25" for $31.96 in March 2025. That's a less risky buy than a $1,350 laptop, but we'd still skip it. Credit: Screenshot: Walmart The same game was $3.01 pricier when purchased directly from Walmart. We think it's worth it: It's still a great deal, and $3 is a small price to pay for total peace of mind. Credit: Screenshot: Walmart

Put it this way: Would you feel better about buying an $800 Roomba directly from Amazon or someone who does business under the name "wacky jacky"? That's all we can really tell you about them: Their seller bio is also, succinctly, just "wacky jacky."

Stick with products that have "Ships from/Sold by Amazon.com" or "Sold and shipped by Walmart.com" labels underneath the "Add to cart" buttons on their listings. Walmart makes this easy by letting shoppers filter out third-party sellers from searches.

When the competition heats up: More insights about Prime Day and Black Friday deals

Amazon and Walmart both reliably drop their prices to new or year-round record lows during Prime sales and Cyber Weekend. (Again, Walmart typically hosts its own festivities alongside Prime events.) These events also seem to prompt them to get their acts together in categories that are normally dominated by third-party sellers, like laptops, and offer great deals of their own.

From our experience, these sales are also when both retailers do their most aggressive price-matching. If one retailer offers a huge discount on an item during a major savings event, it's normal for the same deal to pop up at its competitor in a matter of days — sometimes even hours. We see this a lot with Apple products, particularly AirPods, Apple Watches, and iPads.

Below, we share more granular insights on the way Amazon and Walmart approach deals during these sales that shoppers can use to strategize.

Prime events

Amazon religiously stuck to a 48-hour formula for its Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days sales in years past. But in 2025, Prime Day will be four days long for the first time ever, running from July 8 to 11. Walmart's competing "Walmart Deals" event will be from July 8 to 13, making it 48 hours longer.

Amazon offers a couple weeks of official early deals ahead of its Prime events, giving shoppers a chance to nab certain promotions before the chaos of the event. It also teases some of its top day-of deals in a press release ahead of time, though they come in the form of a discount range, not exact pricing. ("Save up to 50% on select floorcare from Bissell and iRobot," for example.) Shoppers can find deals across all departments during these sales, and new batches of them drop constantly, but there's an especially big focus on Amazon's own devices and services.

On the flip side, Walmart's anti-Prime event deals don't go live until its sales actually start. However, it usually previews some of its top offers in a press release well before then, and uses specific numbers — "Nintendo Switch Joy Con with Game for $69.00 (was $99.00)," for instance. You know exactly what you'll be paying ahead of time.

Black Friday

In recent years, Amazon and Walmart have both moved to kick off their Black Friday sales in early to mid-November. They both still save some of their deepest markdowns for the day of — that being the fourth Friday of the month — but shoppers are wise to comb those early deals in case they wind up selling out (or getting pricier) down the road. As with Prime events, both retailers preview these Black Friday deals in their own ways: Amazon teases its discounts as vague "up-to's," while Walmart names them as specific "before-and-afters."

Walmart takes a more structured approach to its Black Friday festivities, staggering its deals across several mini week-long events leading up to Black Friday proper, so shoppers also have a better idea of how long certain offers last. (They can stick around beyond that timeframe, but it's not guaranteed.) Some of its doorbusters pop up in Walmart stores a few days after launching online.

SEE ALSO: Are you 18-24? Get 6 months of Amazon Prime for free ahead of Prime Day.

Alternatively, Amazon simply starts its Black Friday season sale on a certain day and adds or removes deals whenever it feels like doing so. Sometimes they'll run the course of the whole event, sometimes they'll be gone in a day. It's more of a revolving-door approach.

On the off-chance that something you buy from Amazon or Walmart during their Black Friday sales gets cheaper there later, you won't be able to get a price adjustment — but you can take advantage of their extended return policies. In the past, eligible year-end purchases from either retailer have been returnable through January of the following year.

The bottom line: Where should you shop for the best deals?

To recap: We think Amazon is the place to shop if you want the most options, if you need help finding deals, and if you care about the quality and rarity of a discount. Walmart can also fit the bill for bargain hunters who are willing to do a little digging. Both retailers host huge savings events in the summer and before the holidays, which is when they bring their best deals to the table.

If you're already an Amazon Prime or Walmart+ member, you might be inclined to peruse the respective retailer's wares first. It might give you exclusive or early access to certain deals.

Ultimately, though, you're not doing yourself any favors by being loyal to a single retailer. One of the best ways to make sure you're getting the very best deal is by cross-checking prices across the web, comparing offers at Amazon, Walmart, and elsewhere… especially elsewhere. For what it's worth, we have a lot of luck at Best Buy when it comes to deals on big-ticket items like TVs and laptops — and it's not swarming with questionable third-party sellers. (Not yet, anyway.) Smart shoppers know all of their options.

For extra help finding the best, most up-to-date discounts on popular tech, consider bookmarking Mashable shopping experts' dedicated deals coverage. We only highlight the best deals we've personally vetted at Amazon, Walmart, and beyond.

Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodart, Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard, and Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino contributed to this story.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These are the best cheap laptops weve tested — and they could get even cheaper on Prime Day

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

When it comes to shopping for the best budget laptops, you can do a lot for less than $1,000. (Heck, even $500 cuts some mustard nowadays.) But you'll probably have to make some compromises along the way to stay below that price point.

That doesn't mean you have to settle for a total clunker that doesn't tick any of the boxes on your must-have specs list. It just means you have to shop a little smarter than someone with unlimited funds.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops for 2025: Tested for performance, battery life, design, and value

That's where we come in. The Mashable team is constantly reviewing new laptops with different operating systems and use cases, and we recommend several budget-friendly options that meet most, if not all of our performance, battery life, and build quality standards.

Our top picks

As of July 2025, we believe the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air powered by the M4 chip is the best cheap MacBook for most people. It's seriously speedy, super quiet, equipped with a nice new camera, and priced at an almost unfathomable $999 to start.

Among Windows PCs, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 (Gen 9) is the best budget pick we've tried. It has a peppy processor and a good battery life, it doubles as a tablet, and it starts at just $899.99.

Where to find cheap laptops this Prime Day

Amazon's flagship Prime Day sale is slated for July 8 to 11 this year. Having covered the festivities since 2019, I expect Amazon to use it as an excuse to offer some year-round lows on MacBooks, Microsoft Surface devices, and entry-level gaming laptops from Asus and Acer. (I've already seen one variant of our beloved M4 MacBook Air fall to just $829 in the past few weeks — a $170 savings. At the time of writing, it's hanging out at $849.)

SEE ALSO: Help, I can't stop recommending Amazon's $849 M4 MacBook Air deal

Prime Day is also noteworthy because it prompts competing sales at other retailers. Best Buy's Black Friday in July sale from July 7 to 13 will give Amazon the biggest run for its money simply because the store stocks way more laptop brands and configurations. It's also known to match or one-up Amazon's pricing where their inventories overlap, so cross-checking deals between the two is key. Bookmark my guide to the best Prime Day laptop deals if you don't want to scour the myriad listings yourself.

Read on for Mashable's in-depth guide to the best budget laptops of 2025. FYI: We've listed the pricing and specs of our testing units, which may not apply to each laptop's base model.

A note about tariffs

President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported Chinese goods have made a mess of the tech market, causing several manufacturers to raise their laptop prices over the past few weeks. (The Trump administration recently moved to exempt laptops from some of its tariff plans, but that will probably change soon.) This is bad news for budget shoppers, according to our sister site PCMag, which reports that cheap laptops stand to see the most dramatic impact from tariffs.

None of the laptops that are currently featured in this guide have been affected by tariffs, but one model we have in hand for testing, the Asus ZenBook A14, has gotten $100 more expensive since launch because of them. We'll take this into account as we decide whether it's a new top pick: "Value" is one of our four big testing metrics.

Other cheap laptops on our radar

We're currently testing the Intel-powered Framework Laptop 13. While it comes in just over our "budget" threshold of $1,000 when purchased prebuilt (the DIY Edition starts at $899), the fact that it's upgradable and repairable makes it seem like a solid long-term value. We were big fans of an older version.

SEE ALSO: Laptop specs explained: A jargon-free guide to what's inside your computer

We'll soon review two sub-$1,000 Asus laptops. One is the aforementioned Asus ZenBook A14, which features an OLED display, a neutral-toned chassis made out of a durable yet lightweight material called "Ceraluminum," and an advertised battery life of up to 32 hours. (We briefly tried it in Asus' private showroom at CES 2025, and it left us extremely impressed.) The other is the Asus ZenBook S 15, a second-gen Copilot+ PC with a Snapdragon X Plus processor, a 3K OLED display, and an RGB keyboard. They start at $999.99 and $899.99, respectively.

What no longer makes the cut

We removed the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 from this list in May 2025, as it feels too overpriced and outdated to recommend for 2025 buyers. Plus, a (seemingly) better option just hit the market: Microsoft's new 13-inch Surface Laptop starts at $899.99.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I put the best Roombas of 2025 head to head to find the ones worth buying

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 11:00

It might come as a surprise that "roomba" isn't the universal term for a robot vacuum. It is, in fact, a capital "R" that denotes Roomba as a proper noun rather than a generic trademark. Roombas are just robot vacuums made by iRobot, and looking for the best Roombas is a much more specific task than looking for the best robot vacuums in general. However, Roomba's Band-Aid or Kleenex level fame really does prove just how iconic iRobot has become in the world of automated floor cleaners.

There's a good reason for that: Not only was iRobot first to the robot vacuum party, but the company has consistently delivered some of the most reliable robot vacuum models for two decades. More than 20 Roombas have come out since the first one hit homes in 2002, but if you're looking for the best Roomba today, there are only a handful of models you need to know in 2025.

iRobot randomly released a ton of new Roombas this spring

iRobot released four new Roomba series in March 2025, deviating from its (unofficial) summer release schedule. I think iRobot had two reasons to hurry: the spring release of the top robot vacuums from CES and the company's rocky financial situation. As someone who tests robot vacuums for a living, I'll be the first to tell you that Roombas were flopping in a sea of smarter, more fairly-priced robot vacs from the likes of Roborock and Shark.

SEE ALSO: Shark vs. Roomba: Comparing top-rated robot vacuum lineups

The new Roomba 105, Roomba 205, Roomba Plus 405, and Roomba Plus 505 series are further broken down into eight total models, many with completely different physical designs that don't scream "classic Roomba."

iRobot is playing catch-up with its competition, and for the first time, you can buy Roombas that use LiDAR for smart mapping, Roombas with dual spinning mopping pads, and a Roomba that compacts its own dust rather than self-emptying. Despite such innovations, the new 2025 Roombas are surprisingly affordable, especially compared to debut prices of past Roombas.

Most of the new Roombas (and some of the old ones, too) are already on sale for Prime Day, which will officially run from July 8 through 11 in 2025. Despite last year's failed acquisition attempt between Amazon and iRobot, Roomba deals make up a solid portion of Prime Day robot vacuum deals.

With all of these new Roombas thickening the plot, the same old question remains: "Which Roomba is the best?" I've tested nearly every Roomba released since 2019, and I'm regularly updating this guide as I test the 2025 models at home. After comparing suction, pet hair pickup, mopping, smart mapping, small obstacle detection, and price, I chose the Roombas that offer the best value for different types of households.

How to tell the difference between the Roomba models

The iRobot Roomba 105. The Roomba Combo i5+. The Roomba Combo j7+ (not to be confused with the Roomba j7). The arbitrary numbers and letters of the Roomba family tree are confusing at face value, but we can teach you.

When shopping for a Roomba, you'll choose from what I call iRobot's core lineup: the group of three to five Roomba series sold on iRobot's website. Any Roomba whose title includes a letter and a number (like j9+ or i5) or the word Max is more advanced than a Roomba with just numbers in the title (like 105, 205, or 692) or just words (like Roomba Vac or Essential).

A plus sign (like j9+) denotes that the model comes with a self-emptying dock, and Roombas that mop will have "Combo" in the title. "Max" is a new Roomba term introduced with the Roomba Combo 10 Max — it refers to the ability of a hybrid Roomba to wash and dry its own mopping pad within the self-empty dock. On the other end of the spectrum, "Essential" means "most basic" in the Roomba family, meaning no smart mapping.

Other Roombas I've tested

I've tested several Roombas that are no longer main players in the Roomba guide for 2025. The Roomba Combo j9+ doesn't wash or dry its mopping pad, and is simply too expensive to be worth buying over its siblings like the Roomba Combo 10 Max, Roomba Plus 505. or Roomba Max 705. Plus, the j9's increasing obsoleteness has pretty much halted its ability to get a noteworthy discount nowadays.

I have also removed any 600 series Roombas from this guide for a similar reason: They just can't compete with the newer cheap Roombas that have stronger suction and smart mapping. When I tested the Roomba 694, it pissed me off more than it impressed. The Roomba 694 and Roomba 692 are hard to find in stock, anyway, and it's rarely for less than the Roomba 105 (my new top pick for the best cheap Roomba).

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for July 4, 2025

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 10:59

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, July 4, 2025:

AcrossUncle ___

  • The answer is Sam.

It's full of stars

  • The answer is Space.

It's full of stripes

  • The answer is Zebra.

Month when the American Revolutionary War began

  • The answer is April.

4th of July sales promotions, e.g.

  • The answer is Ads.

DownBig brand of hummus

  • The answer is Sabra.

Foul-smelling

  • The answer is Acrid.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • The answer is Meals.

Singer who performed "All the Stars" at Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show

  • The answer is SZA.

Lively energy

  • The answer is Pep.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple Watch deals are heating up ahead of Prime Day — get the lowest-ever price on the Series 10

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 10:54

Best early Prime Day Apple Watch deals Best Series 10 deal Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $299 (save $100) Get Deal Best Ultra deal Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS + Cellular) $741.89 (save $57.11) Get Deal Best SE deal Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS) $219 (save $60) Get Deal

You don't need a smartwatch to tell you that Prime Day is a great time to pick up an Apple Watch.

This year, the Prime member-exclusive sale runs a whopping four days, from July 8 to July 11. But if you want to score some savings Apple Watches (and Apple in general, for that matter), you don't have to wait. In fact, just days ahead of the sale, you can score some serious discounts on a range of Apple Watch models.

Typically, Apple deals aren't officially affiliated with the sale, which means that non-Prime members can enjoy the savings, too. While Prime Day proper does tend to bring a higher volume of record low prices, the weeks leading up to the sale have deals ranging from decent to great. Case in point: each model of the Apple Watch is available at a discounted price, with markdowns ranging from $60 to $150.

SEE ALSO: Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale is extra competitive this year

With Apple Watches, you'll tend to score the best savings if you're not picky about colorways. While none of the deals below are rare (in other words, necessary to jump on ASAP), it's a solid lineup for folks who don't want to wait for July 8.

Best Apple Watch deals Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple Watch Series 10 $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple Watch Series 10.

Ready to take the plunge and get a new Apple Watch? This is your best bet ahead of Prime Day. The Apple Watch Series 10 is well worth investing in, especially at a 25% discount. At $100 off, this is a better deal than average, especially considering it's Mashable's top pick for a smartwatch fitness tracker.

We like the Series 10 thanks to its suite of health tracking capabilities, including a heart rate monitor, sleep tracker, menstrual cycle tracker, and pedometer (the blood oxygen sensor is the main feature that's missing). It also has an ultra bright and lightweight display.

Apple Watch Series 10 dealsApple Watch Ultra dealsApple Watch SE deals The best early Prime Day deals to shop this week
Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch England vs. India (Test 2) online for free

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 10:38

TL;DR: Live stream England vs. India (Test 2) for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first test match between England and India was absolutely incredible. It looked like India were in a dominant position until the fifth day when England chased down a huge score to seal an impressive victory.

India are looking to bounce back and tie the series at 1-1, and they've started very strongly. England have it all to do.

If you want to watch England vs. India (Test 2) for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is India's tour of England?

India's tour of England consists of five Test matches:

  • England vs. India (Test 1) — June 20-24

  • England vs. India (Test 2) — July 2-6

  • England vs. India (Test 3) — July 10-14

  • England vs. India (Test 4) — July 23-27

  • England vs. India (Test 5) — July 31 to Aug. 4

It is possible to live stream every Test match from India's tour of England without spending anything.

How to watch England vs. India (Test 2) for free

England vs. India (Test 2) is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream India's tour of England for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access (like Italy). This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream England vs. India (Test 2) by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access (like Italy)

  4. Visit ICC.TV

  5. Live stream England vs. India (Test 2) for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming aren't free, but leading VPN providers do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you'll be able access free live streams without actually spending anything. This is a temporary fix, but it gives you enough time to stream England vs. India (Test 2) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to live stream England vs. India (Test 2), for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months of coverage for free — 61% off list price. This deal includes a year of unlimited data backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream England vs. India (Test 2) for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 power station is $350 off ahead of Prime Day — its lowest price this year

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 10:28

SAVE $350: As of July 4, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is on sale for $448.98 at Amazon. That's a 44% saving on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 $448.98 at Amazon
$799 Save $350.02 Get Deal

Prime Day kicks off next week, but deals are already starting to ramp up. TV deals, Apple deals, and headphone deals are all underway — and so are portable power station deals (if that's your thing). As of July 4, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is heavily reduced, now priced at $448.98. That's a saving of $350 on list price.

Stay prepared for any power cuts or issues, and stay connected when road-tripping or camping.

SEE ALSO: Get the best-ever price on this Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV ahead of Prime Day

This particular model provides a 1,500W AC output (with a 3,000W surge), so it can run things like fridges, electric pots, and even AC units. It weighs just 23.8 lbs and features a foldable handle, so it’s perfect for camping trips. It charges up quickly, too. You'll only need one hour to go from 0 to 100%, with emergency charging enabled in the Jackery App (or 1.7 hours on the standard mode). It also benefits from a huge range of charging ports. This model benefits from USB-C, USB-A, AC outlets, a car port, and LED lights, and supports fast USB-C PD 100W charging.

It also has an incredible lifespan, equipped with a durable LFP battery, maintaining over 70% of its original capacity after 4,000 charge cycles, offering a lifespan of 10 years and more.

Grab this great deal at Amazon before Prime Day.

The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts
Categories: IT General, Technology

Get the best-ever price on this Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV ahead of Prime Day

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 10:19

SAVE $120: As of July 4, the Amazon Fire TV 55-inch Omni Mini-LED Series is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon. That's a 15% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV 55-Inch Omni Mini-LED Series $699.99 at Amazon
$819.99 Save $120 Get Deal

TV deals are already kicking off ahead of Prime Day. As of July 4, you can find a fantastic early deal on the Amazon Fire TV 55-inch Omni Mini-LED Series, saving you $120 on list price. The new price of $699.99 is its lowest-ever price.

You can't go wrong with an Amazon TV, and this one really knocks it out of the park. This TV combines 4K QLED mini-LED display with Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive, and over a billion vibrant colors. It also benefits from the Fire TV Intelligent Picture feature, which adapts what you’re watching in real time to both the scene and your room’s lighting. And for sound quality, enjoy crisp audio with Dolby Atmos in a 2.1 setup.

SEE ALSO: The best early Prime Day steals for your kitchen — save on air fryers, blenders, and more

And as expected with all Amazon TVs, enjoy a smart display of art, widgets, and voice control to search through your streaming service libraries all at once.

If you're a gamer, it’s built for speed with 144Hz refresh, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and fluid, tear-free visuals during fast-paced play. Interactive Art adds a layer of movement-based engagement, and there are built-in privacy protections too, including a mic-off switch for peace of mind.

Head to Amazon to score this early Prime Day deal.

The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts
Categories: IT General, Technology

Slates $20K electric truck jumps in price after Trump eliminates EV tax credits

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 09:51

U.S. EV manufacturer Slate has quietly revised previous claims that its made-in-America pickup truck will cost "under $20,000," increasing the upcoming vehicle's pricing. It seems like auto companies are already reacting to the elimination of EV tax credits under President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill."

SEE ALSO: Slate's $20K made-in-America electric truck is the opposite of a Cybertruck

As spotted by TechCrunch, Jeff Bezos-backed EV start-up Slate has updated language from its website concerning the cost of its Blank Slate truck.

"Great cars got too pricey," Slate's website declared when it was first unveiled in April. "We fixed that."

This phrase still remains on Slate's website, which also still claims that the Blank Slate will be "[m]ade in the USA at a price that’s actually affordable (no really, for real)." However, it was previously accompanied by an image of the Blank Slate truck with a badge stating its "expected price" to be "under $20,000 after federal incentives."

As of writing, the truck's anticipated pricing has now been tweaked to be in the "mid-twenties." Further disclaimers have also been added, stating that this price is "for U.S. market only."

Left: Slate's website as of April 25, stating that the truck's expected price will be "under $20,000 after federal incentives." Right: Slate's website on July 3, stating the truck's expected price will now be in the "mid-twenties." Credit: Slate

Considering both the timing and Slate's previous mention of federal incentives, the Blank Slate's pricing change appears to be linked to Trump's controversial spending bill passing on Thursday afternoon. This bill eliminates a $7,500 tax credit the U.S. government granted to drivers who purchased a new EV, which had encouraged drivers to adopt cleaner, more environmentally friendly vehicles. 

The tax break will now end on September 30, which will likely cause several EVs in the U.S. to jump in price. Even if drivers rush to buy an EV now while the tax credits are still available, they won't be able to get their hands on a Blank Slate. The automaker is only scheduled to begin delivery of its vehicles in late 2026, well after the U.S. government will stop offering the tax credit.

Slate's electric truck gained significant attention earlier this year, the start-up claiming that they'd received over 100,000 reservations within mere weeks of it being unveiled. This doesn't guarantee Slate has secured 100,000 sales, as a reservation is merely a $50 deposit in exchange for a place in the queue to buy a truck. Even so, those numbers do indicate some interest in the EV, particularly as drivers increasingly seek alternatives to Elon Musk's Tesla.

Whether such interest can be sustained in light of the Blank Slate's revised pricing remains to be seen. Whatever the case, the U.S. start-up's work just got much more difficult.

Trump has actively worked to dismantle incentives to adopt electric vehicles, repeatedly and incorrectly characterising them as part of an alleged "EV mandate." While there have been policies encouraging EV adoption, there has never been any law in the U.S. which made using an electric car mandatory.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch July 4 fireworks livestreams

Mashable - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 09:00

Looking up at the sky is probably option No. 1 for viewing fireworks. But if, for some reason, you can't watch them in person, you're still in luck.

After all, the year is 2025, and everything is livestreamed. That's right: You can watch fireworks from the comfort of your couch. You won't even need to put down your hot dog.

Your best bet for streaming fireworks on July 4 is the iconic Macy's 4th of July Fireworks special. The special will air from 8 p.m. ET through 10 p.m. ET. You can stream the show on Peacock, NBC's streaming service, or tune in to your local NBC station, which will also televise the fireworks.

SEE ALSO: Hubble celebrates the Fourth of July with a gorgeous cosmic fireworks show

Broadway's Ariana DeBose is set to host the NBC program, which will feature musical guests Keke Palmer, Eric Church, Ava Max, the Jonas Brothers, Trisha Yearwood, and Lenny Kravitz.

If that isn't your cup of tea — or if you don't have access to NBC or Peacock — you can livestream PBS's fireworks program free on YouTube. The show will start at 8 p.m. ET and will be hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro, famous for playing Carlton on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

So this July 4, you can enjoy fireworks for free — and never leave your living room.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Use Conflict as a Leadership Advantage

Havard Management Tip of the Day - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 06:01

In today’s polarized environment, workplace conflict is inevitable—but it doesn’t have to be destructive. Leaders with high conflict intelligence know how to engage it constructively. Here’s how to apply seven proven principles. Lay the groundwork. Build trust and communication before conflict erupts. Strengthen your team’s culture and establish clear norms for how disagreement is handled. […]

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Categories: Management
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